Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh Dr. Mitchell. Tá brón orm nach raibh raibh mé anseo ag tús na díospóireachta mar bhí mé ag plé ceisteanna sa Dáil. Dr. Mitchell is very welcome. I apologise that I missed the earlier part of her contribution as I had questions in the Dáil Chamber. I have not had the opportunity to read her book but I find her contribution this morning very interesting. For all of us who desire constitutional change but are conscious of this, there is a lot of work to be done between now and then. That is an onus on all of us, regardless of which political tradition we come from.

Has Dr. Mitchell had any engagement with the shared island unit of the Department of the Taoiseach? As she is aware, the unit has engaged in a lot of dialogue across different sectors. I think the last figures the committee saw showed something like 3,000 people participating in those dialogues, from youth to groups representing specific sectors, both North and South. That is very important. Where there is qualitative research going on and where there are guest speakers leading debates and ensuring there is a good cross-section of input, that is very important.

I am very glad Dr. Mitchell mentioned Linda Ervine and that she participated in the compilation of her book. I have known Linda for many years and have been in the Skainos Centre on quite a number of occasions. I have supported in my own small way the work she and her colleagues are carrying out there. It is phenomenal. When you go there and listen to the people delivering some of the classes and the people studying there, they are very conscious of who the custodians of the Irish language have been going back many decades. That message that is contained in Dr. Mitchell's contribution this morning has to be amplified much more. The Irish language is not the preserve of any one political community; it is the preserve of all the Irish people. As regards those people who were custodians of the language in the past and who were great Irish linguists, we should always recognise their work. It is to be hoped that we will get more of that community to be active in speaking, fostering and promoting the Irish language. Linda Ervine and her colleagues have developed a number of naíonraí in east Belfast. I think some of them are held in Presbyterian halls or churches. It has not been easy for Linda or her colleagues - anything but - but she has persevered and she and her colleagues have done and are doing a great job in promoting the Irish language and developing learning through Irish. We cannot commend her work enough.

I always think it is important we support cultural and sporting activity so much. I laud the people who established East Belfast Gaels and the GAA ground there. There are people of different backgrounds participating in GAA sports there, be it Gaelic football, hurling, camogie or ladies' football. It is great to see that. They have encountered difficulties as well, and there has been vandalism at the grounds they use. That is a pity. The message has gone out that in many instances in the past the GAA did not get adequate recognition for the great work it has always done in our communities North and South. Gaelic games are not the preserve of the Catholic people. Some of the best players in Gaelic history have been from the Protestant tradition. That is not amplified enough either. The more people from east Belfast who can participate in Gaelic sports, the better. It is important that people partake in all sports. It is very heartening to talk to some of the people involved in East Belfast Gaels and recognise that they are competing in competitions now in County Down, I think. It is great to see that at all levels.

Dr. Mitchell mentioned the atmosphere in the news media environment and confrontational debates. Confrontational debates do not achieve anything, no matter what walk of life we are in. Is Dr. Mitchell coming across any debates that are civilised or conversations that, regardless of one's viewpoint, one can be comfortable participating in or attending? Confrontational debates are no good for society in any respect.

I commend Dr. Mitchell on her work and look forward to having an opportunity to read her book. The other women she mentioned have all contributed handsomely, and some of them are still doing so, to the important debate and discussions that we need and that are far from one-sided but are all-embracing, positive, upbeat and non-confrontational.